"Impact the World" series profiles work of Engineers Without Borders in Rwanda

"Impact the World" series profiles Engineers Without Borders in Rwanda

As the largest of 250 chapters of Engineers Without Borders (EWB) in the United States, the University of Wisconsin sends students and engineers around the globe to operate engineering projects for people in need. In 2003, a devastating landslide severed the main water pipeline in Muramba, Rwanda, drastically altering the community’s access to clean water. The team spent months repairing the pipeline and developing new water sources for Muramba. Over five years, Wisconsin’s EWB also helped build a canal crossing, expanded the town’s health clinic, and teamed with farmers to create more efficient plots for crops. Students further the “Wisconsin Idea,” put forth over 100 years ago, that knowledge should serve to fulfill the needs and aspirations of people.